Chinese Leafy Vegetables Basics

These are a few of my favourite Chinese green leafy vegetables: yue choy (also known as choy sum), gai lan (also known as Chinese broccoli) and Shanghai bok choy.

I usually prepare them quite simply because the other dish that I am serving is usually super flavourful. My mom also made her leafy greens in a similar way but she always made four to five other dishes to serve for dinner, so making a simple dish of greens balanced out the meal.

When buying greens, check the bottom of the stalk to make sure there isn’t a white dot forming in the middle. This usually means the vegetable is old and fibrous making it hard to eat. Sometimes you can just cut down until you no longer see a white dot. The larger the dot, the older the vegetable. Another way to know if the vegetable is old is when it has begun to flower. With yue choy, the flower is yellow and with gai lan, the flower is white. I would avoid buying them if there are a lot of flowers. A few is ok so long as there is no white dot at the bottom of the stalk. The flowers can simply be removed before cooking.

There is always a chance that gai lan might be a bit bitter. So I always add a bit of sugar to the water to counter any chance of that happening because you won’t know if it’s going to be bitter or not.

Shanghai bok choy has a different texture from regular bok choy, that is white with dark green leaves. We prefer these green bok choy because we also enjoy the flavour more. When buying bok choy, make sure the leaves are not yellowing and the stalks are firm, not wrinkly.

All three vegetables can be cooked using either method. The blanching method is easiest. But if you have a few more minutes, the stir fry method just requires slightly more prep. If you want to try using the stir fry method for yue choy or gai lan, make sure to cut the stalks down to make stir frying easier. Also, stir fry the thicker parts of the vegetables for about a minute or two longer before adding the leafy parts.

Yue Choy

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

Water
4 teaspoons salt, divided
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1 pound yue choy
1 tablespoon oyster sauce

Instructions

1. Soak the vegetables in a tub of cold water with 2 teaspoons salt for 3-5 minutes. Run water in between the leaves and the stem to get rid of any dirt. Rinse well. Remove any flowers. Trim the bottoms.
2. Add salt and oil to a medium pot of water. Bring it to a boil on high heat.
3. Once the water is boiling, add vegetables. Cook for 1 minute.
4. Drain and serve with oyster sauce on the side.

Gai Lan

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

Water
4 teaspoons salt, divided
½ teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1 pound gai lan
1 tablespoon oyster sauce

Instructions

1. Soak the vegetables in a tub of cold water with 2 teaspoons salt for 3-5 minutes. Run water in between the leaves and the stem to get rid of any dirt. Rinse well. Remove any flowers. Trim the bottoms.
2. Add salt, sugar and oil to a medium pot of water. Bring it to a boil on high heat.
3. Once the water is boiling, place the veggies with the stalk down in the water. Let cook for 1 minute then submerge the leafy parts as well and cook for another minute.
4. Drain and serve with oyster sauce on the side.

Garlic Stir-Fry Shanghai Bok Choy 

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

2 teaspoons salt, divided
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 pound Shanghai bok choy
¼ teaspoon chicken better than bouillon (optional)
1-2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon sesame oil

Instructions

1. Soak the vegetables in a tub of cold water with 2 teaspoons salt for 3-5 minutes. Run water in between the leaves and the stem to get rid of any dirt. Rinse well. Trim the bottoms.
2. Cut them lengthwise into 4 sections. You may have to rinse out more grit in between the leaves. 
3. In a large frying pan on medium heat, add oil and garlic. Stir fry for 30 seconds or until the garlic is fragrant.
4. Add the vegetables. Stir in the chicken bouillon if using. Add water. Cover and let cook for 1 minute.
5. Stir fry until the liquid has evaporated and the vegetables are fork tender.
6. Remove to a serving platter. Drizzle with soy sauce and sesame oil.